


Waiting On The Red Giant

by tinydragon555



Series: Immortal Emotions [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Bars and Pubs, Drunk Kara Danvers, Drunkenness, Existential Angst, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hugging, I'm Bad At Tagging, Kara Danvers Needs a Hug, Lena Luthor Finds Out Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Has a Bad Family Life, Sharing a Bed, so much hugging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 16:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20343310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinydragon555/pseuds/tinydragon555
Summary: Kara finds out how long kryptonians can live under a yellow sun.





	Waiting On The Red Giant

**Author's Note:**

> I'm silently writing angst and fluff SuperCorp fics, enjoy them while you can :>

Kara had always loved to visit the Fortress of Solitude. It was the closest thing to Krypton that she had ever encountered on Earth. Kal-El had given her free reign of it, happily announcing how she could feel less homesick while she was there. Kara knew her cousin means well, he always does, but he doesn't carry an entire civilization on his shoulders like she does. Earth is alive and well, as for Krypton … she can't bare to think about her home planet's fate for very long. It leaves an aching feeling in her chest.

For today, she had questions. The kryptonian lifted the key easily, only feeling it's golden weight low in her waist and forearms. She stepped inside the entrance to the Fortress, breathing in the fresh, cold air with a small smile on her face. Recent developments, conversations, had gotten her thinking. How long would she live on Earth? Kal-El had mentioned that he and she aged far slower than humanity, but had never given her an exact answer. She'd have liked him to answer her then, but her cousin seemed … hesitant, like this would affect her deeply. As though this news would shake her to the core and leave her with fractures that would never be repaired, even with the most resilient tape and glue.

She knew that she could have asked the AI of Alura, her mother, but even in that room it had seemed … less than private. Kara strode towards the projector, pressing the button to be greeted by her uncle Jor-El. “Hello, Kara Zor-El.” He says, Kara sighing in response. “Uncle Jor-El. Uh, I need to ask you something.” She says, slowly. The AI looks to be listening intently.

“Do you- are you- argh, how long do kryptonians live on Earth? Under the yellow sun?” She finally asks, hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Jor-El looks almost surprised, at least as surprised as an AI can be.

“You and your cousin, Kal-El, will remain as you are until Earth's yellow sun becomes what we call a “Red Giant”, as is our sun, Rao. This change will happen in approximately five billion human years, and then you will age as you would on Krypton.” Jor-El explains, and Kara's face falls. Any human would be full of glee at the news that they will practically live forever, but with someone like Kara … her friends, her family, would be long gone in only a fraction of the time she'd still be walking the Earth. Kara felt sick all of a sudden.

She closed her eyes, pressing the projector button and turning it off. The kryptonian rubbed her temples with her thumbs, groaning under her breath. Kara muttered some vague curses, storming out of the Fortress and shooting off into the snowful skies.

The wind was whipping at her face, unforgiving and brutal, but also freeing and something other than what the AI had said. She closes her eyes, allowing the currents and the sounds to carry her along towards her destination. The sky howled a low song, picking up in pitch and flowing through her body, a melody that pulled her into a semi-aware state. She hums, brows wrinkled.

It only takes her a short while to reach National City once again, hovering over what she called home for years after she moved from Midvale. She opens her eyes, now, and plummets downwards towards a familiar bar that her and her friends frequent. Right now, she has no cares for who sees her in full uniform, Kara just wants a drink. It's not like an alien bar would just up and turn down possibly the most famous alien in the city.

She reaches the door, knocking on it heavily three times. Bang. Bang. Bang. An opening appears where a pair of dark, chocolate brown eyes greet her. They widen a portion, clearly taking in that Supergirl had just casually waltzed towards their door. “P-password.” They stutter, and Kara smiles. “Bon Jovi.”

They nod, slide the panel closed, and open the door. Kara now sees a brunette, with dark skin, and ridges lining her forehead and cheeks. She greets them with a faux cheerful wave, walking into the bar with a stride that emanates confidence. The alien at the door just looks on in a frozen state of surprise, before they shake their head and return to their normal business.

Kara plops down onto the bar stool in the corner, signalling the bartender over. He smiles, already having had some encounters with her before. “The usual?” He asks, eyebrows raised. Kara gives him a small smile, and nods. “Yep. And uh, keep ‘em comin’.” She says, crossing her arms on the bar. Now Kara wishes she had a phone. Of course, she could just fly over to … wherever, but technology makes it so much better.

She's served a glowing yellow drink with over-the-top foam, and eagerly accepts it with a quick “Thank you” to the bartender. Kara takes a generous sip from the glass, savoring the taste as well as the warm feeling that travelled down to her stomach. She immediately starts to feel the effects of the alcohol in her system, and thanked whatever god that had the idea to make insta-beer.

She closes her eyes and listens to the conversations of aliens and humans alike, passing the time by gulping down more of her drink. There are a group of aliens talking to someone about how it had been on Starhaven, the colors, the smells, the architecture. There is another couple who are chatting excitedly about the times when their planets were peaceful. There are even interracial pairs of humans and alien, swapping life stories and … something Kara just wished she hadn't tuned into.

A familiar heartbeat enters the bar, one Kara has learned throughout the past year. She sighs in mild agitation, knowing this to be the one and only Maggie Sawyer. She tries not to laser vision holes into the bar, that would not go well for anyone involved.

Maggie's heart races the minute she lays on her, Kara knows. She also knows that the detective is one extremely confident woman. She sits next to Kara without looking anywhere near her, and orders a drink.

“Detective Sawyer.” Kara says in greeting, and Maggie stiffens. The kryptonian smiles, one of the dangerous, cold grins that could kill if directed at someone. She turns slightly towards her sister's ex-girlfriend, blue eyes narrowed and sharp like lightning. The detective beside her clears her throat, sipping from her received drink. “… Supergirl.”

Kara takes a hard gulp from the last of her glass, slamming it down on the bar and pointedly not breaking the table or the glass. “Break any hearts lately?” She asks, proud that her words are slurring only slightly. Maggie shifts uncomfortably. “You're drunk, Kara.” She retorts in a small voice, and Kara chuckles lowly. “And?”

“Drunk Supers aren't good for the public.” The cop says, eyeing Kara with something akin to- concern? For her? She snorts. “Sober Supers aren't good for the public.” Maggie sighs.

“I know we're not friends, we're not … anything, anymore. I broke Alex's heart, I know that. But I can tell something’s wrong. What is it?” She asks, turning a questioning glance towards Kara. She glares at the detective. “You can't help. No one can.” She hisses, ordering another drink.

“I've learned it always helps to talk.” Maggie says, and Kara stares at the drink she's been given, zero regard for the woman beside her. She sighs. “It helps when you're friends with the person you talk to. You're not my friend.” She drinks, once more.

“Then go find one.” Maggie says, dropping a wad of crumpled-up dollar bills on the bar and pushing off of her seat. Kara watches the woman leave, and tilts her head in consideration. Does she have any friends who would understand what was going through her head right now? She sighs, and downs the rest of her drink.

Kara forgets that she doesn't carry a wallet while she's out and about as Supergirl. She blushes, more than if she were sober, she notes, and gets up off of her chair. “Uhm.” She waves to the bartender, hand shaking slightly as she lets it drop to her side. The bartender looks up from something he seems to be brewing. He hums in acknowledgement. “Uh, put the drinks on my tab.” She drawls, giving him a wobbled thumbs-up. Kara strolls towards the exit, opening the door and accidentally ripping it off its hinges. She frowns. Kara will pay for that later. She has a friend to visit.

She walks into the alley, stretching out her limbs. Kara looks up, and rockets into the sky. She feels lightheaded, and wonders if this is what it feels like to be drunk. Kara shakes it off, and heads in the direction of one of her few friends that may understand what she's found out.

Kara barely missed crashing into the glass panels of the office window, hurtling into the floor and maybe creating a crack in the floor that resembles a spider’s web. There's a gasp from behind Kara, quickly followed by the clicking of high-heels towards her. “Supergirl?” A familiar voice asks, and Kara smiles. “Lenaaa.” She drawls, attempting to push herself off of the floor. She fails with a grunt, and a pout.

“Uhm, are you alright?” Lena asks, crouching beside her. Kara turns onto her side. “My limbs feel non-ex- exist- existent. Non-existent.” Kara tries the word on her tongue, frowning. The CEO is busy attempting to hold back a laugh, smile on her face. “Are you … drunk?” Lena asks, and Kara sighs.

“Yeeep. Rao, that bar had some strong stuff.” Kara grimaces, pushing herself into a sitting position. Lena stands up, holding a hand out to Kara who takes it carefully. She doesn't want to break her friend, that wouldn't be very helpful. They're both standing now, the kryptonian leaning very heavily against the Luthor, head on her shoulder as if it was a perfectly normal thing to do. Perhaps it was.

Lena, still with the weight of a kryptonian on her shoulder, limps over to her couch and drops the Super to the white cushions. Kara frowns, staring up at her friend with glassy eyes. “I can't remember what I drank two pints of Almeracian Ale for. I think that's the point.” She puts a hand over her closed eyes, breathing in the scents of Lena Luthor’s office space. Everything smelled like alcohol for some reason.

“Uhm, should I call anyone?” Lena asks, already walking over to her desk and digging through the mess of papers to find her phone. Kara groans, shaking her head. “Agent sister can wait until I've poured my feelings out unto the CEO.” She says, sitting up on the couch, arm now draped over the back. Lena mutters something about not knowing what she did to deserve a drunk kryptonian in her office. Kara chuckles.

“Why come here?” Lena asks, giving up on her phone and turning around. Kara shrugs. “You're a friend. Detective heartbreak told me I should talk to a friend.” Lena's brow furrows at the “Detective heartbreak” comment. “About?” She inquires, crossing her arms. Kara doesn't like the obviously closed-off posture of the Luthor.

“I found out that I'm practically immortal. Like a dragon. Or whatever you call the devil here.” Kara drawls, her head tilted at an uncomfortable angle. The CEO nods. “Yeah, Lex was obsessed with that, among other things.” Lena remembers her brother's lectures about how Superman's healing properties under the yellow sun could be used and studied for human purposes. She also remembers that was when Lex had started his spiral into insanity. Kara takes a deep breath.

“All of you would be so happy to be granted the ability to live forever. Humanity thinks of it as a gift, a pleasure. But what about their family, friends?” She drops her head back to the couch's arm, accidentally denting the structure beneath the wool. Kara seems to be breaking everything, nowadays. Lena bites her lip. “You have family?” She asks, and Kara shoots back up. “Of course. Who doesn't? I told you, agent sister.” She says, as if obvious. Lena has an inkling into who she believes may be “agent sister”, but barging into the heroes existential crisis may not be a wise decision as of now.

“If I could live forever, I know I'd miss my friends. Definitely not family, they can rot in prison for all I care.” Lena chuckles darkly, Kara listening with hooded eyes looking up at her friend. “But, even if it comes at an emotional price, wouldn't it be good to help people, for as long as you can?” Lena asks the Super, who now perks up, if only the slightest bit. “Maybe.” Kara says, getting up and walking over to Lena. The Luthor raises an eyebrow, and then gets an armful of emotional kryptonian.

“Can't breath.” She chokes out, and Kara loosens the hug on her friend. “Sorry.” She apologizes, backing away from Lena. The Luthor now has confirmation that this is indeed the person she thought it was. Although, she won't dive into that conversation now. Lena will wait until Kara is sober.

“I want to go home.” Kara mumbles, head down. Lena puts a hand on the kryptonian’s shoulder. “Want me to take you there? The agency you work for probably has rules against drunk flying.” She says with a laugh. “Oops.” Kara says, jolting upright with wide eyes. “I broke the law!”

“You break the law every day, don't take it seriously.” Lena says, guiding Kara towards her office doors. She opens them, quietly mouthing to her secretary “Get George”. George was her driver, and dealt with the unnatural almost every day. Escorting a Luthor would do that to you.

It's only five minutes, riding down the elevator and climbing into the back of a car, until they're in front of Kara's house. Lena helps the Super out of her chair, her legs shaking under Kara's weight. How was her body this heavy!?

“You know. Lena, you know …” Kara mutters, and Lena smiles. She waves George away, and discreetly carries the drunk kryptonian into the building. She's up the elevator, and now into Kara's apartment. Unceremoniously, she drops the Super onto her bed, sighing in relief as the pressure of her alien friend is finally off of her shoulder.

She starts to walk away, but a quiet, pleading voice pulls her back towards Kara. “Stay.” She sounds so small, so unsure. Lena can't help but turn around, looking into the blue eyes of her friend. “Okay.” She says, climbing into bed next to Kara. The kryptonian smiles, wrapping one arm around Lena's stomach and another over her waist. Lena's breath hitches when Kara buries her nose into her hair, between her shoulder and her neck.

“Kara …” She starts, but doesn't finish her argument, as the Super hums happily into the crook of her neck. Lena can't help but return the gesture. She's allowed this one, simple pleasure, right?

If in the next morning, she's greeted with a panicking Kara Danvers, and a surprised, smug Alex? It'll be fine. Take all the time you have with your friends, family. They can't predict the future (Most of the time).


End file.
